Straightening machine



March 4, 1941. w, J, TODHQNTE 2,233,437

STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: Maw:Jym m 101221;

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ATTORNEY.

March, 4, 1941. w J, TODHUNTER 2,233,437

STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR.

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Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES 2,233,437 1 ST'RAIGHTENING MACHINEWilliam J. Todhunter, Newcastle, New South 3 Wales, Australia;

Application August 2, 1939, serial No. 287,916

n Claims. (01. use-es) The invention relates to means for straighteningstructural sections, such as bars, beams, channels, rails and the like.Where, in the following description, these structures are referred to asbars, it is meant to include any of the several kinds of stockenumerated.

The object is to provide convenient and efficient means for operatingupon the bar whereby the straightening force may be applied at required10 points on either side, without withdrawing it from the machine untilthe entire straightening has been completed."-

The invention comprises movable heads provided with oppositely actinggags; each head 15 beingprovided with a lifting gag and flanking,

stationary gags which are horizontally adjustable toward and away fromtheir respective lifting gags.

Means are provided for lifting either lifting gag 20 while the otherlifting gag remains in operative position, whereby either or both sidesof the bar may be gagged as required, without removing it from themachine in order to turn it over.

The engaging faces'of the lifting gags are posi- 5 tioned so as toproject beyond or in advance of the engaging faces of the two stationarygags which flank the lifting gags, so that only the stationary gags ofone head, cooperate with the lifting gag of the other head. Theinvention also comprises improved means for supporting and presentingthe bars, especially T-rails to the operation of the gags.

Means are also provided whereby, when one lifting gag is lifted, itmoves away from the oper- 35 ative position, to a position sloping awayfrom the 45 Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section, of

the same. I I I Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary elevations, on an enlargedscale, showing the table rolls in different positions, especiallyadapted for operation upon 50 'T-rails; 1

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In accordance with the example herein illustrated, the machinecomprisestwo movable 5 heads I anclB, mounted on theframe, or bed}.

The head lqis operated by means of cams, or eccentrics I2 and I2, drivenby motor l3, through suitable gearing, as shown.

The reciprocating movement of head I on the bed 9, is limited to theactuation derived from the 5 cams or eccentrics l2 and [2.

The head 8 is also movably mounted upon the bed 9 and is adapted to bemoved into desired position of adjustment by the screws l0 and H),

.which are actuated by the motor ll, through 10 suitable gearing asshown.

Between the head 8 and the screws l0 and ID,

are inserted the cast-iron breaker blocks I4, the

purpose of which is to break, in case the head 8 is put under too greata strain, that is to say, the breaker block is the weakest link.

The head 1 is provided with the lifting gag [5, which is operated by theair cylinder l6.

. When lifted, this gag I5 is moved away from the perpendicular. groove22, in the head I in which the gag I5 travels and which is inclined tothe perpendicular, the gag, as itmoves upwardly, also moves away fromthe perpendicular plane of the bar being operated upon. The object ofwhich is to allow the operator a better view of the straighteningoperation.

The head 1 is also provided with two gags l1 and I? which flank the gagl5 and are horizontally adjustable toward and away from the lifting gagI5.

These two gags H and H are operated simultaneously into desired positionof adjustment by means of a right and left hand screw I8, which isactuated by the motor it through a worm and. sprocket and chain gearing.

The head 8 is provided with the lifting gag 25 which is adapted to belifted by means of an air cylinder IS. The method and means foroperating this gag 26 is similar to that above described with respect togag l5. 7

Head 8 is also provided with the two gags 2| and 2i which arehorizontally adjustable, and are operated in the same way and bymechanism similar to that shown for operating the gags I! and H.

The rolls 24, shown in Fig. 1 indicate the positions of the end tablerolls on each side of the machine. These rolls, in the presentinvention, are not motor driven, and serve in connection withpositioning and supporting the bar during the straightening operation.

For properly operating upon certain kinds of stock, for example T-rails,a series of table rollers That is to say, by means of the 20 areprovided. These rolls are mounted in movable bearings, as shown in Figs.3 and 4.

In Fig. 3, the rail 25 is shown in the upright position resting squarelyupon its horizontal supporting flange 25', which rests upon thehorizontal rollers 23. In this position the straightening operation iseffected in the usual way by the cooperating action of the lifting gagand the stationary gags I! and I1 upon the flange portion V,

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each roller 23 is supported on the bearings26 and 21. 26 is supported to move vertically up and down,

and is so actuated by the air cylinder 28 Guide 29 is provided with eachbearing 26, to keep the several rolls or rollers in proper alinement. v

The bearing 21, at the other end of the roll, is

pivotally supported at 30 in order to'permit the tilting or canting ofthe roller from a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, to a positioninclined to the-horizontal, as shown in Fig. 4..

The purpose of. this inclined position of the supporting roller, asshown in Fig. 4, is as follows: 3

Where for example, the straightening forces are to be applied totheopposite margins of the flange 25', the. rollers should all behorizontal, as shown in Fig. 3, but where the straightening force isapplied-to the top and-bottom of the rail,

these contacting surfaces or points must be in a line at right anglestothe contacting surfaces of the gags. In other words the line ofpressure,

means for a substantial range of adjustment.

Other means may be used for directing the line of force through the weband at right angles to the planes of the contacting faces of the gags,by securing the desired inclinations of the rail supporting surfaces,and still be within the scope of the claims. For example suitablytapered rollers may beused.

The arrangements of the parts last above described is the opposite tothat shown in Fig. 2.

That is to say, the positions of gags I5 and Ml are reversed.

The shims 32 beneath the bearing 26 are for detail adjustment of thebearing upon its supporting frame or formation 33, which is pivotallyconnected at 34 to the piston rod 35 of air cylinder 28.

In operation-The head 8, for example, is placed in such a position as toallow the bar, which is to be straightened, to lie between the liftinggag I5 on head I, and the two gags 2| and 2| on head 8. Also these gags21 and 2| are placed at the centers required for the bar to bestraightened. 7

These flanking gags, being operated simultaneously by a right and lefthand screw, are always equi-distant from their respective lifting gags.

If the blow for straighteningthe barfiis to be delivered by gag I5, thengag 2il"is lifted'up' out The bearing of the way, so that the other sideof the bar will rest against gags 2| and H whilst the blow is beingdelivered.

When the motor I 3 is started, the head 1 moves backward and forward onthe bed 9, the amount of travel delivered by the cams or eccentrics l2and I2.

At the same time, the head 8 is pushed forwardly by means of the screwsIll and It! into required position of adjustment, that is, until therequisite strength of'theblow of gag I5 is given. This operation gagsone side of the bar only.

To-gag the other side, gag i5 is lifted and gag 2-0is dropped. 7 As thelifting gags I5 and 20 are in advance of their respective horizontallyadjustable flanking gags wheneither lifting gag I5 or 25],.is used, I

the flanking gags-on the same side of chine are out of action.

It will thus be seen that, accordance with are provided forgaggingthe'bar or similar stock,

back in the machine, and also whereby the lifted the matheinventionabove described, convenient-means gag -maybesodis-posed as nottoobstruct the view.

The present'invention isespecially adapted for operation upon -T-rails',and is to be contrasted with the now common practice which has prevailedfor at least half a century" without substantial improvement.- Inaccordance with said common-practice th'estraighten'in'g of F -rails isa laborious job, requiring the employment. of a large number of men.

In accordance: with the. invention herein described and claimed, all ofsuch laboricusworlk is eliminated, as the entire job of'. manipulatingand straightening is! accomplished by mechan- 'ical means What I- claimis: a V a 1. In a straightening' rnachine, the combination of avsupporting frame; a pair. of heads mounted thereonadapted tomove-towardand away from each other, eachhead provided with aguide-wayextending upwards from the frame,

diverging upwardly one from the other, a lifting gag movable in; eachguide-way upward from operative to J inoperative position and downwardfrom inoperative t'o operat'ive position.

2. 111 a straightening machine, the combination'. of a supportingframe,a pair of heads mounted thereonead'apted to move toward and away fromeach-other; each head provided with a guide-way extending upwards fromthe frame,

said guide-ways'beingi oppositely positioned and saidguide-w'ays beingoppositely positioned and diverging upwardl'y one from the other, alifting gag. movable in' each guide-way upward from operative toinoperative position and downward from inoperative to operativeposition, said heads also carrying laterally adjustablecooperating ags.

3; In astraightening machine, the combina-. tionof a supporting frame, apair of heads mounted thereon adapted to move towardand tending normallyto hold it in inoperative position.

4. In a straightening machine, the combination of a supporting frame, apair of heads mounted thereon adapted to move toward and away from eachother, each head provided with a guide-way extending upwards from theframe, said guide-ways being oppositely positioned and divergingupwardly one from the other, a lifting gag movable in each guide-wayupward from operative to inoperative position and downward frominoperative to operative position, each lifting gag being provided witha power controlled counterbalance adapted to hold the gag in inoperativeposition upon failure of said power.

5. In a straightening machine, the combination of a supporting frame, apair of heads mounted thereon adapted to move toward and away from eachother, each head provided with a guide-way extending upwards from theframe, said guide-ways being oppositely positioned and divergingupwardly one from the other, a lifting gag movable in each guide-wayupward from operative to inoperative position and downward frominoperative to operative position, means for causing reciprocatingmovement of one head, and power operated means for adjusting, from timeto time, the position of the other head during the straighteningoperation, in order to control progressively said operation.

7. In a straightening machine, the combination of a supporting frame, apair of heads mounted thereon adapted to move toward and away from eachother, each head provided with a guide-way extending upwards from theframe,

said guide-ways being oppositely positioned and diverging upwardly onefrom the other, a lifting gag movable in each guide-way upward fromoperative to inoperative position and downward from inoperative tooperative position, a pair of flanking gags supported upon and movingwith each head and transversely adjustable thereon, controlling meansmounted on each head, comprising motor and gear mechanism for theflanking gags and a power cylinder for the lifting gags.

8. In a straightening machine, the combination of a supporting bed, twoheads mounted thereon and relatively movable toward and away from eachother, each head provided with a lifting gag, and horizontallyadjustable flanking gags, a plurality of table rollers flanking themachine, each roller having one end-bearing vertically adjustable, andthe other end-bearing pivotally supported, and means for arbitraryvertical adjustment of said vertically adjustable bearing adapted tosecure the required axial inclination of the roller for cooperation withrails varying in cross-sectional contour.

9. In a straightening machine, the combination of a supporting bed, twoheads mounted thereon and relatively movable toward and away from eachother, each head provided with a lifting gag and horizontally adjustableflanking gags,

a plurality of table rollers flanking the machine, each roller havingone end-bearing vertically ading gag and horizontally adjustableflanking gags, a plurality of table rollers flanking the machine, eachroller having one end-bearing vertically movable, and the otherend-bearing pivotally supported, and adapted for cooperation With railsvarying in cross-sectional contour, each vertically movable bearingbeing independently adjustable.

WILLIAM J. TODHUNTER.

